Missouri teacher admits to sexual relationship with 16-year-old student, faces up to four years

A Missouri math teacher, Hailey Clifton-Carmack, 26, has pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student while other students acted as lookouts. Clifton-Carmack, who taught at Laquey High School, faces up to four years in prison for sexual contact with a student, according to the Daily Mail. The case surfaced in December 2023 when a student reported the relationship to a school resource officer and showed a photo of scratches Clifton-Carmack allegedly left on the boy’s back.

The teacher’s plea deal allowed her to avoid more severe charges, including statutory rape, child endangerment, and child molestation. She is currently under house arrest until her sentencing on October 11, 2024.

The case has also implicated the student's father, Mark Creighton, who has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Prosecutors allege Creighton knew about the inappropriate relationship but failed to report it. “He continued to cover for them and allowed the relationship to continue,” court documents revealed. His case is on hold until after Clifton-Carmack’s sentencing.

Clifton-Carmack, a divorced mother of two, had been warned previously about inappropriate behavior with students. Police discovered text messages that confirmed the illicit relationship after confiscating her phone.